The Crux of Exposurehttps://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com
This blog is an attempt to help those new to climbing learn about climbing through witty (I'll let you be the judge of that), advice-based blog posts. Stay awhile and explore.Thu, 17 Aug 2017 21:05:34 +0000enhourly1http://wordpress.com/https://secure.gravatar.com/blavatar/e727b611d7728d6a7bb752896e73a794?s=96&d=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.wp.com%2Fi%2Fbuttonw-com.pngThe Crux of Exposurehttps://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com
“You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohnhttps://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/you-are-the-average-of-the-five-people-you-spend-the-most-time-with-%e2%80%95-jim-rohn/
https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/you-are-the-average-of-the-five-people-you-spend-the-most-time-with-%e2%80%95-jim-rohn/#commentsThu, 25 May 2017 20:38:56 +0000http://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/?p=1119Continue reading “You are the average of the five people you spend the most time with.” – Jim Rohn]]>I heard this Jim Rohn quote and quickly did a mental check of the five people I spend the most time with… While none of the five are perfect (no judgement, I’m not perfect either!), they all have plenty of qualities that I admire and would love to even be “average” at. But you’re probably wondering, “What does this have to do with rock climbing?”

In this post, I want to encourage you to climb with many different kinds of people and really watch them climb. Bonus points if you ask questions!

You can learn a lot from climbing with, or just watching, different climbers. Figuring out beta (information on how to climb a specific route or problem) and learning new technique are just a few benefits. Climbing with different people who attempt routes and problems that you would not typically approach will also help you improve in different styles of climbing (power moves vs. technical moves, crimps vs. slopers) and make you stronger. You will become a more well-rounded climber by stepping outside of your comfort zone in this way. Pro tip: Don’t offer unsolicited climbing advice, i.e. “Spraying Beta”. Many times people enjoy (and practice!) working out beta on their own. Being able to spot beta is a skill in climbing that can be honed through practice.

Beyond making new friends with people at your local crag (outdoor climbing area) or climbing gym, some ways that you can watch other people climb is by looking up videos on YouTube, Instagram, Facebook, etc. Also, recorded and live climbing competitions are a great way to watch people climb. Bonus: if you are interested in learning how to set climbing routes and problems at your local gym, watching other climbers is a great way is to see how hold placement forces a climber to move. Win-win!

Now, I’m not saying don’t create your own group of climbing friends; I definitely have my main group of people that I climb with. But I do think it is important that you don’t let your growth in and knowledge of the sport be limited to the five people you climb with the most.

So get out there and introduce yourself to a new climber today! …or awkwardly watch them from across the gym while trying to not make direct eye contact. Whatever floats your boat.

]]>https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2017/05/25/you-are-the-average-of-the-five-people-you-spend-the-most-time-with-%e2%80%95-jim-rohn/feed/1thecruxofexposure0b3f7d3771e598f0ada36a8ecb5f1c9613bad4a0bce2fb81f890092b97b657c0“If you aren’t falling, you aren’t trying hard enough.”https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2017/03/24/if-you-arent-falling-you-arent-trying-hard-enough/
https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2017/03/24/if-you-arent-falling-you-arent-trying-hard-enough/#respondFri, 24 Mar 2017 21:01:28 +0000http://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/?p=997Continue reading “If you aren’t falling, you aren’t trying hard enough.”]]>As a new climber, knots, lingo, and technique are thrown at you left and right. What many new climbers are rarely introduced to is how to fall. Many people naturally pick it up, so why teach it? Learning the proper way to fall is about as important as learning how to tie your eight knot. If all you can think about while climbing is how you might fall and hurt yourself, how are you ever going to climb to your full potential?

How to fall greatly depends on what type of climbing you are participating in. Two of the most important things to keep in mind when falling are body position (duh) and body tension (I know it’s hard, but relax).

“Isn’t the point not to fall?” You’re not wrong, but falling is a natural part of rock climbing… so you might as well learn how to do it safely!

Bouldering

Before you start bouldering you should have a crash pad/mat and a spotter as a way to protect you from harmful falls (more so for climbing outside–in a cushy gym you can likely get away with just a mat). Crash pads soften the landing of a fall, and spotters protect the melon (aka. the head).

Other things to keep in mind is the position you are falling in. In a perfect world, every climber would land flat on their feet with soft knees. Flat feet prevent rolled ankles and foot sprains or strain; soft knees transfer the momentum of the fall through your body without bring your body to an abrupt stop. If your fall takes you to your butt–don’t fight it! Tuck and roll, soldier! Also, don’t try to stick your hands out to stop your fall as this is more likely to result in finger, hand, arm, and/or shoulder jams and injuries. Climbing Magazine offers more guidelines on how to take a safer bouldering fall, but these few tips will definitely start you off in the right direction.

Top Roping

Taking falls on top rope are usually the easiest and safest falls in climbing. The rope is automatically there to catch weight and stretches to provide a softer fall. All the climber has to do is let go and hope their belayer likes them enough to engage the break on the belay device. Just make sure you’re not falling around anything that could injury you–a large volume or another climber. When falling very close to the ground, the climber would follow the techniques used for bouldering falls.

Lead climbing

Climbing Magazine also has an article on how to fall on lead that I would suggest reading. My general tips–as lead falls vary greatly based on climbs and situation–would be to have someone spot you until the first bolt is clipped, keep the rope in front of your body (between you and the wall/rock), and be aware of any features below you that could make a fall dangerous (ie. a ledge, large feature, or sharp boulder). Keep your body relaxed and hope your belayer knows how to give a soft catch (having the rope absorb most of the fall instead of your body jerking to a sudden stop).

Moving from a physical plane to a mental one, falling is closely related to failing in climbing, in my opinion. These two terms should not be confused so easily. It’s important to remind yourself that falling means there is room for improvement and growth–falling means being down, but not out. Sure it sucks to fall repeatedly on a route that you have seen everyone else climb without a problem–it definitely feels a lot like failing. But you get to decide what “failure” is defined as in life. So as long as you’re having fun, who cares if you’ve taken 20 falls on the same route over the past week? No one that matters.

Now don’t get me wrong, I get wrapped up in the mental connection of falling and failing when it comes to my personal climbing–even more so when I fall on something I think I definitely should have gotten clean. But without falling, climbers would not have projects or new goals to chase after. Imagine never being able to fall. It sounds like an interesting idea, but part of the fun in climbing is fighting gravity and winning. (Ha! Take that gravity!)

So get a spotter, get a cheerleader, and go climb something! Fall on!

]]>https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2017/03/24/if-you-arent-falling-you-arent-trying-hard-enough/feed/0P1090198thecruxofexposureRisk and Rewardhttps://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2017/02/20/risk-and-reward/
https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2017/02/20/risk-and-reward/#respondMon, 20 Feb 2017 19:08:44 +0000http://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/?p=608Continue reading Risk and Reward]]>At my job, I have to start off with the scary things first: climbing is inherently dangerous.

On the everyday end, you could end up with scrapes andbruises. On the extreme end, you could end up dead. After you have been climbing
for awhile, it is more likely you will end up somewhere in the middle: sprained ankle or popped tendon, anyone?

This website is supposed to be informative but by no means all encompassing. Therefore, please climb with people that are knowledgeable and trustworthy–people you would trust your life with in a climbing situation. This is your warning: you climb at your own risk. Please do so carefully and fully aware of the consequences.

While you should be aware of the risks that come with climbing, please do not let these risks deter you from trying climbing. While the activity is “inherently dangerous”, the activity is largely about managing risk–just like driving or swimming in the ocean.

Different people have very different answers to these questions. I haven’t heard a bad answer yet: to socialize, to lose weight, to be challenged physically or mentally, to get stronger, to have fun…

The awesome part of climbing is that it provides all of these things and more. I’ve never been apart of a (fantastic) community that involves socializing as much as rock climbing (most of the time it feels like you spend 1/3rd of the time on the wall and 2/3rds of the time sitting around talking about climbing and non-climbing things). I’ve met awesome people through climbing, including some of my best friends. I have lost weight and gotten stronger due to climbing. There are endless amounts of challenging routes to climb, and when you finally get one of those challenging routes “clean” (without any falls) it feels like floating on cloud nine: pure euphoria.

Regardless of your reason, get up, put your shoes on, and go climb!

]]>https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2017/01/20/i-climb-because/feed/1thecruxofexposureboulderweenbuttsIt’s Knot That Bad…https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/its-knot-that-bad/
https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/its-knot-that-bad/#respondMon, 02 Jan 2017 20:00:42 +0000http://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/?p=142Continue reading It’s Knot That Bad…]]>In climbing, there are a lot of different knots that can be used for a lot of different things. This post is about the knots used to tie-in (tying the rope to your climbing harness) for rope climbing. The tie-in setup I will explain is the figure 8 follow-through (FEFT) knot with a strangle knot.

The Save-Your-Life Knot: Figure 8 Follow-Through Knot

This is the tie-in setup used at the two climbing gyms in my area; this is also the setup used at most gyms I have visited. This knot is frequently used because it is relatively safe and simple (reminder: climbing in inherently dangerous). The FEFT is a strong and simple knot that is highly unlikely to come undone on its own when tied properly.

The Backup Knot: The Strangle Knot

After tying the FEFT, it is standard to have some slack left over, so a backup knot is added after the FEFT knot to tie up the slack. The strangle knot, sometimes called a single fisherman’s knot or double overhand knot, is the backup knot that my gym uses.

As a side note, in this Climbing.com article that I read on how to tie the FEFT, the author mentions that the FEFT does not actually require a backup knot with the proper minimal tail length (6 inches). The author also mentions that the American Mountain Guides Association suggests not using a backup knot for easier visual inspection by your climbing partner.

Regardless of whether you want to use a backup knot or not, if you are climbing in a gym, you should follow the rules of that gym. Some gyms require backup knots and some do not.

My final tip for tying knots is to get a second pair of eyes to check your knots. It’s a quick ten second or less check that could save your life one day.

Also, Animatedknots.com is a great website that shows how to tie the two knots I mentioned above. The FEFT knot is tied a little differently from how I show it, so use the version that clicks for you. I won’t be offended, I promise. The strangle knot uses a wooden handle of some sort in place of the standing end of the rope. Don’t let this trip you up–it’s the same knot.

Until next time, crushers!

]]>https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2017/01/02/its-knot-that-bad/feed/0thecruxofexposureVFun and 5.NahBrahhttps://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/12/15/vfun-and-5-nahbrah/
https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/12/15/vfun-and-5-nahbrah/#respondThu, 15 Dec 2016 15:24:37 +0000http://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/?p=741Continue reading VFun and 5.NahBrah]]>So you started rock climbing and you want to climb all the things! The super cool route that has a weird baby head hold on it. The route over in the corner with all blue holds that you saw some strong chick hang from her toes (bat hang) on. But definitely not that route that you saw some shirtless, scruffy dude climb using only his arms (campusing).

But how do you know which routes you could actually climb?

In the US, the difficulty of a climbing route is classified based on the Yosemite Decimal System. This system features five classes that range from walking on a well established trail (class one) to technical climbing often with the use of a rope (class five). The class is usually determined by the hardest move, called the crux.

Class Five is unique in that it has sub-grades to further explain the difficulty of a route: 5.0 to 5.15. At 5.10, the scale breaks down further by adding an a, b, c, or d after the initial class and grade: 5.10a, 5.10b, 5.10c, 5.10d, etc. Typically, climbing gyms feature rope routes that range from a 5.6 and up. From my experience, “novice” climbers can climb 5.7s without much issue, “intermediate” climbers can tackle 5.8-5.10, while 5.11 and up would be better suited for “advanced” climbers.

Bouldering in the US uses a different scale: the V Scale. This scale ranges from V0-V16. This scale works in the same way that the YDS works: the bigger the number, the harder the climb. In my gym, novice climbers will likely focus on V0-V1, intermediate climbers on V1-V4, and advanced climbers on V4 and up.

A couple important notes about route grades: these grades tend to be subjective to the type of climbing (overhang vs. slab and crimps vs. slopers) and the setter or initial climber. Grades can also expand over time: the hardest climbing grade used to be considered a 5.11, but now the hardest grade is considered a 5.15c (with two rumored project 5.15ds).

Now that you know how to distinguish how difficult a route is, it is important that you do not let route grades box you in to only climbing certain grades. So what if the hardest thing you have ever climbed is a V1? If you see a V3 that intrigues you and (this is key!) will not cause you physical harm from trying it, then try the V3! Sure, you probably won’t get the route from start to finish, but if you are having fun then who cares? Step out of your comfort zone and you just might learn something new!

In my opinion, grades are more important for safety while climbing outside. Grades give a general idea of how skilled a climber should be to climb the route. No one wants to be in a precarious position on a highball boulder that they thought was a V1 only to find out that the route is mostly a V1 with a V3 move 20 feet off the ground. Talk about sweaty palms… Chalk, please!

Now that you are in the know, go climb something! Climb something hard, climb something fun. Just go climb!

Until next time! Climb on!

P.S. If you would like to read more on the climbing grades, Rock and Ice has a good article that provides some more in-depth information than what is listed here (including multi-pitch).

]]>https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/12/15/vfun-and-5-nahbrah/feed/0thecruxofexposureWarm Up, Swarm Uphttps://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/warm-up-swarm-up/
https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/warm-up-swarm-up/#respondMon, 28 Nov 2016 21:53:18 +0000http://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/?p=654Continue reading Warm Up, Swarm Up]]>As humans, we tend to beat up our bodies a lot. The human body can take a lot and work through a lot: broken bones, pulled tendons/muscles, missing limbs, working out with bronchitis, eating sixty doughnuts in nine minutes, child birth… (I’ve literally never experienced any of the things previous mentioned, but I can imagine.) Let’s just take a moment and thank our bodies for all of the amazing (and weird) things that it does for us.

…

Being a climber does not make any of these things less likely–some of these things are more likely actually: pulled tendons and muscles, eating copious amounts of frozen yogurt… But what if there was something you could do to help reduce the chance of being in pain or on the bench from climbing? Something magical that takes next to no time and can change your entire life? You could get a better job, get asked out by that cute guy or girl that the see on your commute every day, find a genie in a lamp, or become the best rock climber in the world.

This could all be achieved by one simple change to your daily routine: Warm up. (Note: Warming up has no direct link to improving job status, love life status, or the possibility of magic lamps.)

Scoff if you must, but warming up is as important for climbing as it is for any other work out. Warming up not only prepares your body for all the work you are about to put it through, but warming up also helps you perform better and prevent injury. No one wants to sit on the bench for weeks on end due to an injury that likely could have been prevented with a simple warm up. Time out of from injuries eat up more time than a short injury prevention warm up ever will.

So how should you warm up? This DPM article on warming up is largely what I used to make my own warm up routine. It’s an excellent article on a climbing-specific warm ups that I could not improve on. You know what they say: if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

I asked a lot of my climbing friends for good advice or knowledge they received or learned about climbing. One of my good friends, Pete[r] Tereszkiewicz, said that climbing is a learning/developmental process. One of the examples he gave was about learning the necessity of warming up: “…It’s a painstaking process, but I think especially with climbing you can only learn through experience. Young comp climbing Pete scoffed at extensive warming up; however, after rupturing a pulley he became all the wiser and gained a new perspective. This is how climbing works…”

]]>https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/11/28/warm-up-swarm-up/feed/0thecruxofexposureA rock is a rock is a rock… right?https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/a-rock-is-a-rock-is-a-rock-right/
https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/a-rock-is-a-rock-is-a-rock-right/#commentsFri, 11 Nov 2016 22:46:00 +0000http://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/?p=175Continue reading A rock is a rock is a rock… right?]]>“I climb.”

This statement can tell you a lot about the person who says it. Speaking as a completely objective third party observer with absolutely no personal interest in the matter (thank you, Viola Hastings), the speaker will likely be one of the coolest, smartest people you have ever met.

What this statement does not tell you is what type of climbing the person participates in. That’s right. There’s more than one type of climbing. There’s free, aid, bouldering, free soloing, top roping, lead (sport and trad), ice, alpine, and tree . . .

To keep things simple, I’m going to discuss the most common types of climbing you might see and/or participate in a gym, a place where most people are introduced to climbing: bouldering, top roping, and lead climbing. (The pictures featured in this post are from previous climbing trips my friends and I have taken, though.)

Bouldering

This type of climbing is the cheapest and quickest way to jump into climbing. Since this type of climbing takes place close to the ground and without a rope or belay device, all a climber needs is a crash pad (for a soft landing), climbing shoes, chalk (for sweaty palms), and maybe a friend or two to act as both spotters and cheerleaders.

Boulderers typically boulder on boulders (say that five times fast). Many people who are uncomfortable with heights will often start out bouldering. A fear of heights is no reason to avoid climbing!

Top roping is the type of climbing that most new climbers think of when they head to their local gym. Top roping involves a climber, a rope running through an anchor at the top of a wall, a belayer, and a belay device.

The climber will tie-in on one side of the rope, while the belayer sets up the belay device on the other side. As the climber climbs up, the belayer will take out any new slack in the rope, slack which is created by the climber moving up the wall. When the climber is finished, the belayer will lower the climber back to the ground with the assistance of a belay device.

To top rope outside (as the picture below shows), climbers must hang their own rope from the anchors which is usually accomplished by walking up to the bolted anchors from behind. If there aren’t bolted anchors at the top… well that’s a lesson for another time.

Lead climbing has a similar set up to top roping, but there are a few major differences. One, the rope starts on the ground with the leader (climber) and belayer. Two, there is a lot more gear (quickdraws, cams, nuts, etc.) involved.

As the leader moves up, (s)he will place gear along the route (path) to act as protection from falls. In order for the leader to progress up the route, the belayer must give and take slack. Once the leader is at the top, (s)he will pass the rope through the anchors and essentially be on top rope, so the belayer can simply lower the leader to the ground. Another, and usually the preferred, lowering option would be for the leader to rappel, but this is a lesson for another time.

There are two types of lead climbing: sport and trad[itional]. Sport climbers use quickdraws and pre-drilled bolts to progress up a route. Trad climbers use cams, nuts, and hexes (among other gear) as natural protection for a route because there are no pre-drilled bolts.

Route: Misty; Leader: Scott; Belayer: Dylan; Photographer: Melise

Again, bouldering, top roping, and lead climbing are the three types of climbing you are most likely to come in contact with, but these are not the only types of climbing. The information provided here is purely introductory. There is a lot more information about these three types of climbing that is not discussed here: commands, lowering techniques, safety checks, etc.

Climbing is inherently dangerous, so please climb with someone that is knowledgeable and trustworthy. If you have any specific questions, don’t hesitate to ask me. If I can’t answer it, I will find someone who can.

Until next time.

]]>https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/11/11/a-rock-is-a-rock-is-a-rock-right/feed/1thecruxofexposureBouldering with Notes.jpgTop-roping with NotesLeading with NotesSo you want to start climbing… Now what?https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/10/28/so-you-want-to-start-climbing-now-what/
https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/10/28/so-you-want-to-start-climbing-now-what/#respondFri, 28 Oct 2016 19:36:44 +0000http://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/?p=476Continue reading So you want to start climbing… Now what?]]>So you want to start rock climbing at your local gym but you’re not sure what to do or where to start: What clothes do I wear? What shoes do I wear? What do I bring? How strong do I have to be? How fit do I have to be? Well, here are all of your questions answered!

Clothing: Just go ahead and empty out your Amazon shopping cart right now. You do not need any of that fancy athletic wear from Patagonia or North Face (unless you really want it). You can wear clothing (normal or athletic) that you would wear for other physical activities: t-shirts, basketball shorts, sweatpants, athletic leggings… You want your clothes to allow you to move, stretch, and bend because you will be doing a lot of those things.

Shoes: No fear if you do not own your own climbing shoes. Climbing gyms will often have climbing shoes that you can rent for a small fee in addition to your participation fee. My only suggestion is to bring socks. While many gyms spray out rental shoes with an anti-fungal foot spray, you don’t know whose little piggies have been stewing in those shoes before they were handed to you. “What if I want to climb in my sneakers?” you ask. Climbing gyms have different policies when it comes to climbing in non-climbing specific shoes, so I would call the gym you plan on visiting before hand. My advice, though, is to use the their rentals over your sneakers: climbing-specific shoes make climbing easier. Trust me on this one.

Gear: In line with shoes, the gym that you visit should have all the necessary gear that you need for climbing (likely for another small fee). This includes a harness, a belay device, and a chalk bag.

Physical Abilities: A lot of people think they need to be very strong to start climbing, but the truth is that you don’t even have to be able to do half a pull up. Sure, being able to do 20 pull-ups would make certain parts of climbing easier, but it is not a required skill to have. I couldn’t even do one pull up before I started climbing, and three years later I have only successful completed seven pull-ups. Once. Just remember, you have these two long sticks coming out of your hips. They’re called legs, and they have supported you your entire life. Don’t forget about them now.

On a similar note, you do not have to be able to complete a 7 minute mile to rock climb. While good cardiovascular fitness will make climbing easier, it is not mandatory.

Come as you are! Bring a friend to learn and climb with. By the end, you will likely be sweaty and your forearms will definitely be sore, but you won’t regret it. Probably. I hope.

]]>https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/10/28/so-you-want-to-start-climbing-now-what/feed/0thecruxofexposureI’ve got your spot.https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/10/14/ive-got-your-spot/
https://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/2016/10/14/ive-got-your-spot/#respondFri, 14 Oct 2016 14:00:00 +0000http://thecruxofexposure.wordpress.com/?p=103Continue reading I’ve got your spot.]]>This phrase is said by a spotter to a climber who is making a hard unprotected move (by gear or pads). “I’ve got your spot” is how the spotter signals to the climber that the climber is free to try–and try hard. This phrase means, “If for some reason you don’t make that move, I’m right here to protect you and your head from a harmful fall.” Well, for those of you new to climbing: I’ve got your spot.

My goal with this blog is to help those new to climbing navigate the wonderful world and community of climbing. I am by no means an expert at climbing; however, my three years of experience does qualify me as an expert new climber. I still vividly remember the nerves from walking into a climbing gym or up to an outside climb for the first time. On this site, I will share knowledge and advice about climbing that I (and people much wiser and smarter than me) have accumulated over time.

My first tidbit of advice is that for the average person climbing isn’t easy–if it is, you should probably be climbing something harder. The challenges presented by the sport are what make climbing fun. With that in mind, you should never feel bad or embarrassed about struggling with a route or move that someone else can do with twice the grace and half the grunting. The person climbing four grades harder than you more than likely feels the exact same frustration and struggle with a route or move (s)he is working on.